Writing pad or paper sheet holder



G LINDSAY June 6, 1939.

WRITING PAD OR PAPER SHEET HOLDER Filed Sept. 11, 1937 /N l/EN roe fl TTOR/VEY Patented June 6, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application September 11, 1937, Serial No. 163,480 In Great Britain September 18, 1936 7 Claims.

This invention is concerned with writing pads and like articles of stationery and has for its object the provision of improved means in conjunction therewith for facilitating writing and 5 for advancing a sheet of paper step by step as writing proceeds.

With this object in view my invention consists in providing for use upon a pad of writing paper a hand rest capable of a reciprocatory 10 movement towards the upper and lower edges of the writing sheets, the forward edge of the hand rest being furnished with frictional means adapted in one direction of movement to grip and advance the sheet on which it bears, and in is the other direction of movement to leave the sheet undisturbed. The hand rest referred to may be connected with the base supporting the writing pad by a pivoted flap permitting it a limited motion up and down the sheets of the 20 pad and resilient means may be incorporated for automatically urging the hand rest towards one of its extreme positions. The device constructed in accordance with this invention not only serves as a hand rest and line guide for the convenience 5 of the person writing but also operates to advance the sheet line by line as writing progresses.

The invention is hereinafter more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: r

30 Fig. 1 is a perspective View showing a writing pad embodying the improved sheet feeding device.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same, and

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional elevations on an 35 enlarged scale showing the forward edge of the hand rest executing rearward and forward motions respectively.

In the constructional example illustrated herein a block or pad of sheets of writing paper is contained within a folder or case b the cover section of which may be constructed to furnish a pocket d for the retention of envelopes and/or other articles. ,The pad in this instance consists of a pile of sheets retained in position upon a 45 backing card e by an elastic band I taking over a corner of the pile of sheets, the backing card 6 being cemented or otherwise affixed to the folder or case b.

The cover section 0 is hingedly attached at g 50 to the forward end of the folder or case proper and when open may be sustained in an upwardly inclined position by a flexible tie element h firmly secured to the two parts of the folder. This 55 time element h which may conveniently be composed of a piece of linen or other fabric also serves to guide the sheet of writing paper advanced from the writing pad up over the wall of the pocket d of cover section 0. As will readily be understood upon releasing the uppermost sheet of the writing pad a from the elastic band engaged with its upper corner, said sheet is free to be advanced as writing proceeds by the operation of the sheet feeding means hereinafter referred to forming the subject of my invention. 10

The sheet feeding device comprises essentially a hand rest composed of a plate, board or sheet of any suitable material 1' arranged to overlie the major part of the writing pad and adapted for executing a reciprocatory movement to and from the top and bottom ends of the writing pad, the forward extremity of the hand rest which bears upon the writing pad being furnished with frictional means adapted to grip and impel the adjacent sheet of paper in one direction of movement only.

In order to provide for the hand rest 1 executing suitable movements it is hingedly connected with the rearward edge of the folder or case b by an intermediate section a which is capable of a limited rocking movement with reference to the related parts. The hand rest 1, the intermediate section 1' and the base part of the folder or case b may if desired be composed of a continuous length of card or strawboard rendered flexible by score lines impressed at appropriate points and reinforced if necessary by linen or other fabric. Additional thicknesses of card or strawboard k may be cemented to the inner side of the intermediate section 7' to constitute stop means limiting the angular motion of said section and the reciprocating movement of the hand rest. Moreover an elastic band 1 stretched between the base 'of the folder or case and the upper part of the intermediate section 7' may 40 operate automatically to urge the hand rest 2' forwardly of the writing pad. When as in the constructional example illustrated the writing pad is not enclosed at its sides the hand rest 1' may be formed at its lateral edges with downturned ears m adapted by engaging the edges of the writing pad to assist in guiding the hand rest in its movements. In cases where the writing pad is contained within a box like holder the side walls of the box may serve to guide the hand rest.

As previously mentioned the forward edge of the hand rest i which is arranged to bear upon the uppermost sheet of the writing pad is furnished with means n arranged frictionally to grip the sheet engaged and to urge it along during the forward movement of the hand rest only but to leave the sheet undisturbed during rearward motion of the hand rest. In some cases this frictional action may be secured by a piece of rubber or similar material set at such an angle that during rearward motion of the hand rest it will slip freely over the topmost paper sheet, but grip the sheet and impel it when the hand rest is moved forwardly.

A still more convenient form of frictional means 72 is that shown in the accompanying drawing wherein the forward edge of the hand rest is furnished with a narrow strip 0 pivotally attached at p to the hand rest along the upper surfaces of the parts, the under face of the strip being coated with rubber 'or rubber adhesive whereby it may exercise a frictional effect upon the paper sheet beneath. Moreover the meeting edges of the two connected parts are preferably so inclined as to cause the hinge line p to overhang the active face of the narrow strip 0 when the latter lies flat upon the writing pad as shown in Fig. 3.

In using the writing block, the hand of the writer bears upon the hand rest 2 and as will be appreciated the forward edge of the latter constitutes a guide assisting writing to be effected in straight lines across the paper. When however the writing approaches the leading edge of the hand rest ithe sheet may be advanced over the remainder of the writing block a by moving the hand rest 2' back and forwardly with a simple movement of the wrist. During the rearward movement of the hand rest 1. e. in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 3, the narrow strip 0 trails lightly over the paper, the strip tilting upwardly and forwardly somewhat as shown. During the forward movement of the hand rest however which is assisted by the rubber band Z the strip 0 turns downwardly and frictionally engages the topmost sheet of the pad and drives it forwardly as shown in Fig. 4. This advancing of the sheet may thus be effected step by step as and when required until the lower end of the sheet is reached whereupon writing may be continued upon the next sheet of the block or the sheet reversed for writing on the back of the same.

I claim:

1. A sheet advancing device for use with a sheet of writing paper comprising a hand rest overlying the paper constructed and arranged to have reciprocatory movement towards the upper and lower edges of the writing sheet, the forward edge of the hand rest being furnished with frictional means constructed and arranged to grip and advance the sheet on which it bears toward the forward end of thepad and in the opposite direction of movement to leave said sheet undisturbed.

2. A writing paper sheet holder, including a sheet supporting back, and a hand rest overlying the back, the hand rest being attached to the rear edge of the back by a flexible connection constructed and arranged to permit forward and rearward movement of the hand rest, and a sheet gripping element carried on the forward margin of the hand rest and constructed and arranged to engage the underlying sheet of paper upon 2.

forward movement of the rest and shift the paper forward with the rest but to ride freely over the paper upon a rearward movement of the hand rest.

3. A writing paper sheet holder, including a sheet supporting back, a hand rest overlying the back, the hand rest being attached to the rear edge of the back by a flexible connection constructed and arranged to permit limited forward and rearward movement of the hand rest, and a friction element carried on the forward margin of the hand rest and constructed and arranged to frictionally engage the underlying sheet of paper upon a forward movement of the rest but to ride freely over the paper upon a rearward movement.

4. A writing paper sheet holder, including a sheet supporting back and a hand rest overlying the back, the hand rest being mounted upon the supporting back for limited reciprocating movement toward or from the forward edge of the back, and means carried by the forward edge of the hand rest constructed and arranged to engage the surface of the sheet and shift said sheet forward upon a forward movement of the hand rest, said means riding over the sheet upon the rearward movement of the hand rest.

5. A writing paper sheet holder, including a sheet supporting back, a rigid element extending transversely across the rear end of the back and flexibly connected thereto so that the rigid element may have oscillatory movement toward or from the forward edge of the back and a hand rest flexibly connected to the rigid element and extending partially over the sheet of paper, the hand rest having means at its forward edge constructed and arranged to engage the surface of the sheet of paper upon a forward movement of the hand rest and shift the sheet forward with the hand rest, said means riding over the sheet upon a rearward movement of the hand rest.

6. A case for writing paper, including a back having an upwardly turned flange at its forward end, a cover hingedly mounted upon said flange and adapted to be turned over the front of said case, the case being adapted to contain a plurality of superposed sheets of paper and means for feeding a sheet of paper step by step over the flanged forward end of the case, including a hand rest extending transversely entirely across the case and having guide lugs at its forward end extending downward on each side of the superposed sheets of paper, a flexible connection between the back of the case and the hand rest, and means on the forward edge of the hand rest constructed and arranged to frictionally engage the top of a sheet of paper as the hand rest is pushed forward to thus shift the top of the sheet forward, said means riding over the sheet of paper upon a rearward movement of the hand rest.

7. A structure as in claim 3, in which the means for engaging the sheet of paper comprises a transversely extending element hingedly engaged on its upper face with the upper face of the hand rest, the underface of said element having a friction surface whereby the element may tilt upward upon a rearward movement of the hand rest and tilt back again flat down against the paper on a forward movement of the hand rest.

GORDON LINDSAY. 

